The present invention relates to a resist processing system for processing a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer with resist.
In the photolithography process employed in the manufacture of a semiconductor device, the surface of a semiconductor wafer is washed, followed by coating the washed surface with a resist and subsequently exposing selectively the coated resist layer to light. Finally, the light-exposed pattern is developed. FIG. 1 shows a conventional resist processing system 101 used for performing these treatments. The conventional system 101 comprises a load/unload section and a process section. As shown in the drawing, a cassette table 102 and a sub-arm mechanism 104 are arranged in the load/unload section. Wafers W, which are taken out of a cassette C arranged in the load/unload section, are transferred by main arm mechanisms 103 and 105 into each of the processing devices arranged within the process section.
Arranged side by side within the process section are a brush washing device 111, a high pressure jet water washing device 112, an adhesion device 113, a cleaning device 114, a resist coating device 115, a baking device 116 and a developing device 117. In each of these brush washing device 111, high pressure jet water washing device 112, resist coating device 115, and developing device 117, the wafer W is processed with a processing solution. On the other hand, a heat treatment for heating or cooling the wafer W is performed in each of these adhesion device 113, cleaning device 114, and baking device 116.
In the conventional resist processing system 101, many processing devices are arranged side by side, with the result that the system 101 occupies a large area within a clean room. It follows that the total floor area of the clean room is enlarged, leading to an excessively heavy load applied to an air conditioner. Naturally, it is desirable to decrease the floor area of the resist processing system itself.
It should also be noted that, in the conventional system 101, the solution processing type devices 111, 112, 115, 117 are positioned apart from the heat-treating type devices 113, 114, 116 so as to suppress the thermal effect imparted to the processing with a solution. As a result, the moving distance of the main arm mechanisms 103, 105 is increased in the wafer transfer step, leading to an increase in the time required for the wafer transfer.
Further, each of the main arm mechanisms 103 and 105 is frequently moved in directions of X-, Y- and Z-axes and is swung about the Z-axis, with the result that particles are generated within the resist processing system in an amount that cannot be neglected. Of course, it is of high importance in this technical field to take appropriate measures for suppressing the particle generation within the resist processing system.